tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56547263745610428002014-10-06T21:58:54.618-04:00Blake Bell NewsBlake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-3309141499157808672014-07-26T11:45:00.003-04:002014-07-26T11:46:12.955-04:00Official "Blake Bell" Facebook Page up w/ exclusive content!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fBagsE4kMrc/U9PLt-W4MrI/AAAAAAAAAug/zU0iCvoqZmg/s1600/FacebookPage-Screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fBagsE4kMrc/U9PLt-W4MrI/AAAAAAAAAug/zU0iCvoqZmg/s1600/FacebookPage-Screenshot.jpg" height="171" width="400" /></a></div><br />Okay, there's so many things going on this year that I need to get my collective "Blake Bell Awareness" act together and start <i>acting</i> like a writer! To help facilitate that, I've debuted the official "Blake Bell - Writer" page on Facebook. You can "like" it here: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter">https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter</a></span>.<br /><br />Today, I've just added a series of images for my "Steve Ditko Archives" series, which also includes exclusive commentary on the volumes. (This includes the cover for the upcoming volume five in the series, well into production now!)<br /><br />Last night, I added the same for my four main books, and we'll continue in this vein, as well as offer glimpses into past, current and upcoming projects, so see you there at <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter">https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter</a></span>.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-33192466620491008702014-05-05T23:11:00.001-04:002014-05-05T23:14:58.198-04:00Memories of Dick Ayers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UyNBgTiOOqU/U2hFUDPYYiI/AAAAAAAAAtg/2xjooFewf2I/s1600/newAYERc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UyNBgTiOOqU/U2hFUDPYYiI/AAAAAAAAAtg/2xjooFewf2I/s1600/newAYERc.jpg" /></a></div>90 years is a good life. And so is being able to make a living at what you love to do for most of that life.<br /><br />Dick Ayers, the artist most famous for his contributions to the Silver Age of Marvel Comics (inking Jack Kirby, and a 10-year run penciling Nick Fury), passed away yesterday. (Read more about his career <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Ayers" target="_blank">here</a></span>.)<br /><br />We've lost not just a member of our community, and an important ambassador for the medium's history, but we also lost a gentleman and, more importantly, a husband and life partner to his lovely wife, Lindy.<br /><br />Lindy is the source from which my personal association with Dick was fostered. My first book, <i>I Have To Live With This Guy!</i>, told the tales of the spouses/partners of comic-book greats and, given Dick's long and multifaceted career, I was ecstatic when Lindy and Dick agreed to be part of the process.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTftUEj-2mQ/Tgf0GDOTHaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/SInpItb_LzU/s1600/LIVEcov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTftUEj-2mQ/Tgf0GDOTHaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/SInpItb_LzU/s1600/LIVEcov.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div><br />Thanks to my <i>Secret History Of Marvel Comics</i> co-author, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, I had the pleasure of visiting the Ayers' home on two occasions in late 2001/2002. They lived near by Doc V. and the first visit (in Nov '01) was really a visit to Dick and his home studio...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p-uxuk14nBE/U2hFRbqD-8I/AAAAAAAAAsk/WEsj1bJ8DEw/s1600/ayerstud.jpg" height="273" width="400" />&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the memories of this visit that is seared into my brain is something you don't see in this picture. Just before you walk into this room, on the wall to the left, is a letter from DC Comics to Dick. It was a formal acknowledgement of his role in the creation of the character, Scalphunter, who first appeared in the 1977 comic book, <i><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/issue/30834/" target="_blank">Weird Western Tales</a></span> </i>#39.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's no secret that this industry has denied many creators ownership (and the subsequent financial rewards) of their famous characters. From Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, to Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, the dustbin of history of filled with broken promises and shady dealings by the men who owned companies built on the backs of men like these.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So my foremost memory from that visit is the look of pride in Dick's eyes when he showed us that letter. Scalphunter had a nice little run in <i>Weird Western Tales</i>, lasting up to issue #70 when the book was cancelled, but was pretty much forgotten after 1982. Still, this was something he could lay claim to having a hand in creating (much like his original Ghost Rider character in the 1950s), that it was part of his legacy which extended beyond inking other artists</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What me, Doc V. and Len Lumbers remember from that visit is the hospitality of Dick and Lindy (yep, those are our root beers); super-gracious people, and Dick shared liberally his time and all the work he had accumulated. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeRGrAAm1tw/U2hFP0JnSYI/AAAAAAAAAtM/tXnj1hQ5F0Q/s1600/ayerblak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeRGrAAm1tw/U2hFP0JnSYI/AAAAAAAAAtM/tXnj1hQ5F0Q/s1600/ayerblak.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second visit to the Ayers' homestead was even more special. Dick had an exhibit of his work nearby and me and Doc V. joined him there. It was definitely impressive to see all the original art and his recreations (historian Mark Evanier noted that Dick made more money in the 1990s off of recreating Jack Kirby covers than did Jack and Dick in the 1960s when they originally collaborated on them), but he also had these wonderful murals and paintings that were a sight to behold and you could tell that he took immense pride in this work that showed him more than just a comic-book artist. Here are some examples:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMPjNVVYdlg/U2hFQAX2gfI/AAAAAAAAAs4/SQiZJH0dhYk/s1600/ayemural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMPjNVVYdlg/U2hFQAX2gfI/AAAAAAAAAs4/SQiZJH0dhYk/s1600/ayemural.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are some other pictures from the exhibit...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-50KV_cwcoAg/U2hFRCjOROI/AAAAAAAAAsc/Y6Q8LP1AI6k/s1600/ayerfro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-50KV_cwcoAg/U2hFRCjOROI/AAAAAAAAAsc/Y6Q8LP1AI6k/s1600/ayerfro.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHlvfJIEFuE/U2hFQiVB7uI/AAAAAAAAAtE/lO9XlL6Hag4/s1600/ayerexhi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHlvfJIEFuE/U2hFQiVB7uI/AAAAAAAAAtE/lO9XlL6Hag4/s1600/ayerexhi.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n8TxQmcOkok/U2hFQTz64uI/AAAAAAAAAsU/n3-_984NH1k/s1600/ayercab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n8TxQmcOkok/U2hFQTz64uI/AAAAAAAAAsU/n3-_984NH1k/s1600/ayercab.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The best part, however, of the second visit was sitting down with Lindy to discuss her life with Dick for my first book. They were definitely proud to be a part of this medium's history, but it was not without its difficult times. <i>Lots</i> of the artists from Dick's era - late 1940s to 1960s - fell out of favour in the 1970s and 1980s and it is a testament to Dick's perseverance that he survived the ups and downs and spent his last couple of decades on earth drinking in all the praise on the convention circuit and financial rewards from the aforementioned commissions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Best thing that came out of that second visit with Dick and Lindy? He later drew me into his autobiography!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1hl6Mt9Pbk/U2hGAaJhMgI/AAAAAAAAAuE/1x3DGVXwZQo/s1600/newAYERS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1hl6Mt9Pbk/U2hGAaJhMgI/AAAAAAAAAuE/1x3DGVXwZQo/s1600/newAYERS.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our prayers are with Lindy now. I remember my mother's first few nights after the passing of her soul mate and they can be the roughest. Below are some more examples of Dick's work that I have sitting around on my computer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">God bless you, Dick! I know that you are having a great day in Heaven today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hRUatIMDuG0/U2hFR4-AStI/AAAAAAAAAs0/AK21lVAWCRo/s1600/cardout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hRUatIMDuG0/U2hFR4-AStI/AAAAAAAAAs0/AK21lVAWCRo/s1600/cardout.jpg" height="271" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VN8xkEqJyxA/U2hFR10gv2I/AAAAAAAAAss/91ugypkBrRc/s1600/cardin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VN8xkEqJyxA/U2hFR10gv2I/AAAAAAAAAss/91ugypkBrRc/s1600/cardin.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GV7B9j99oJc/U2hFUgZ9jCI/AAAAAAAAAt0/4FZJgoOA4DA/s1600/st106p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GV7B9j99oJc/U2hFUgZ9jCI/AAAAAAAAAt0/4FZJgoOA4DA/s1600/st106p1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSSYaqQ0ODQ/U2hFP5pRglI/AAAAAAAAAsA/Pl7GUWDFTkY/s1600/AyersAvengers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSSYaqQ0ODQ/U2hFP5pRglI/AAAAAAAAAsA/Pl7GUWDFTkY/s1600/AyersAvengers1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4tMaWGG7M4/U2hFVXsXFnI/AAAAAAAAAt4/BdBV2kbC1H0/s1600/tos30s21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4tMaWGG7M4/U2hFVXsXFnI/AAAAAAAAAt4/BdBV2kbC1H0/s1600/tos30s21.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z4D_pfDbMdg/U2hFV694wiI/AAAAAAAAAt8/AGuIpmZKQQE/s1600/tta7s3p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z4D_pfDbMdg/U2hFV694wiI/AAAAAAAAAt8/AGuIpmZKQQE/s1600/tta7s3p1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tXecTy2Cew/U2hFU0tHopI/AAAAAAAAAto/8OdnDgdTxpc/s1600/tos30s17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tXecTy2Cew/U2hFU0tHopI/AAAAAAAAAto/8OdnDgdTxpc/s1600/tos30s17.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XKe-SWVQ3Ug/U2hFSjUv13I/AAAAAAAAAtA/DZxTad_7Haw/s1600/ghostrider1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XKe-SWVQ3Ug/U2hFSjUv13I/AAAAAAAAAtA/DZxTad_7Haw/s1600/ghostrider1.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VIZUnJ0yYTo/U2hFTL0bLoI/AAAAAAAAAtI/XMfIgNErBoM/s1600/ghostrider2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VIZUnJ0yYTo/U2hFTL0bLoI/AAAAAAAAAtI/XMfIgNErBoM/s1600/ghostrider2.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhsrt2VF2bg/U2hFT3wdruI/AAAAAAAAAtY/xUdyd_9R9iw/s1600/mib01p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhsrt2VF2bg/U2hFT3wdruI/AAAAAAAAAtY/xUdyd_9R9iw/s1600/mib01p1.jpg" height="640" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-12775561736500647062013-12-14T20:06:00.002-05:002013-12-14T20:14:19.675-05:00X-mas Special! My three 2013 books for $99 (incl. shipping)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GMAkyyL7ni4/Uqz8SdWGYRI/AAAAAAAAArg/ydC8ugBvZMg/s1600/EAv2-SHoMC-DAv4-v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GMAkyyL7ni4/Uqz8SdWGYRI/AAAAAAAAArg/ydC8ugBvZMg/s200/EAv2-SHoMC-DAv4-v3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Looking for the Holy Trinity of Christmas gifts? How about a special on all three of my 2013 books for only $99...which includes shipping within Canada and the U.S.!<br /><br />Yes, that's <i>The Secret History of Marvel Comics</i>, <i>Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4</i>, and <i>Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2</i>. That's a $145 value for less than a c-note. Each book has a cover price of $40 each, but you can have them all for about 60% of the cover price (when you factor in the shipping costs).<br /><br />Just email me at <a href="mailto:ditko37@rogers.com">ditko37@rogers.com</a> to order via Paypal and you will receive a copy of each signed by me (plus my co-author, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo for <i>The SHoMC</i>), <i>very</i> well packed to survive the journey.<br /><br />And there's more! Add the following older books of mine for 50% off each (only $5 more for shipping for each two added):<br /><ul><li><i>Strange &amp; Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko </i></li><li><i>Unknown Worlds: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 2</i></li><li><i>Mysterious Traveler: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 3</i></li><li><i>Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2 </i></li></ul>Here's all you need to know about my three 2013 books...<br /><br /><i>The Secret History of Marvel Comics</i><br />Marvel Comics is home to such legendary super-heroes as Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, all of whom have spun box office gold in the 21st century. But Marvel Comics has a secret history hidden in the shadows of these well-known franchises.<br /><a name='more'></a>The Secret History of Marvel Comics digs back to the 1930s when Marvel Comics wasn’t just a comic-book producing company. Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman had tentacles into a publishing world that might have made that era’s conservative American parents lynch him on his front porch. Marvel was but a small part of Goodman’s publishing empire, which had begun years before he published his first comic book. Goodman mostly published lurid and sensationalistic story books (known as “pulps”) and magazines, featuring sexually-charged detective and romance short fiction, and celebrity gossip scandal sheets. And artists like Jack Kirby, who was producing Captain America for eight-year-olds, were simultaneously dipping their toes in both ponds.<br /><br />The Secret History of Marvel Comics tells this parallel story of 1930s/40s Marvel Comics sharing offices with those Goodman publications not quite fit for children. The book also features a comprehensive display of the artwork produced for Goodman’s other enterprises by Marvel Comics artists such as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett, Al Jaffee, and Dan DeCarlo, plus the very best pulp artists in the field, including Norman Saunders, John Walter Scott, Hans Wesso, L.F. Bjorklund, and Marvel Comics #1 cover artist Frank R. Paul. Goodman’s magazines also featured cover stories on celebrities such as Jackie Gleason, Elizabeth Taylor, Liberace, and Sophia Loren, as well as contributions from famous literary and social figures such as Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, and L. Ron Hubbard.<br /><br />Read a 20+ page excerpt <a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/images/stories/previews/sechis-preview.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">HERE</span></a>. <br /><i><br /></i><i>Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4</i><br />Five years before Steve Ditko began work on his now legendary co-creations for Marvel Comics, the Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, he was pro- ducing some of his best work in near anonymity for Charlton Comics. Like its predecessors, Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 4 features over 200 meticulously restored full-color pages of Ditko in his early prime — stories that have never seen a proper reprinting until now, thrilling stories of suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims all delineated in Ditko’s wildly idiosyncratic, masterful style.<br /><br />This fourth volume ranks as the best in the Steve Ditko Archives series to date thanks in large part to the inspiration Ditko took from comics derived from the classic host-narrated radio shows, which gave an extra oomph to his creepy yarns. Moreover, comics such as This Magazine Is Haunted and Tales of the Mysterious Traveler bore witness to a veritable explosion in Ditko’s ingenuity in terms of manipulating the traditional comic-book page layout. This new level of excellence also manifested itself in his work on other books, such as Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds, Out of This World, Strange Suspense Stories, and Unusual Tales, all of which are amply represented in this volume.<br /><br />Read a 20+ page excerpt&nbsp;<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/images/stories/previews/imptal-preview.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a></span>.<br /><br /><i>Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2</i><br />The 1939 creation of the Sub-Mariner for the first issue of Marvel Comics assures Bill Everett a place in history. Co-creating Daredevil, the Man Without Fear, for Marvel Comics in 1964 gave Everett a link to one of the most popular superheroes of the past 50 years. And producing over 400 additional pages of superhero-related work in the very early days of the Golden Age of Comics (1938-42) makes Bill Everett a legend.<br /><br />Heroic Comics: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 2 collects over 200 pages of never-before-reprinted work from such titles as Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938), Amazing-Man Comics (1939), Target Comics (1940), Heroic Comics (1940), and Blue Bolt Comics (1940). These titles feature an endless array of vintage Everett characters such Amazing-Man, Hydroman, Skyrocket Steele, The Chameleon and many more, all produced by Everett’s shop Funnies, Inc. for such clients as Centaur, Novelty Press, and Eastern Color. This book also features, reprinted for the first time, the rarest of Everett material, his romance work from the early 1950s for Eastern Color on titles such as New Heroic Comics (1950/51) and Personal Love (1953). All of the stories within display Everett’s brilliant cartooning and energetic storytelling growing by leaps and bounds.<br /><br />Edited by best-selling author and comic-book historian Blake Bell (Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko), The Bill Everett Archives is a stunning companion to Bell’s 2010 critically acclaimed Everett biography and art book, Fire and Water: Bill Everett, The Sub-Mariner and the Birth of Marvel Comics. This volume follows the format of Bell’s Steve Ditko Archives series; never-before-reprinted, beautifully restored, full-color stories from one of comic books’ greatest visionaries and most accomplished artists. This book also includes an introduction about the man, his art, the history of the era, and his relationship with Marvel Comics.<br /><br />Read a 20+ page excerpt <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/images/stories/previews/hertal-preview.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a></span>.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-19260478618537101212013-11-12T19:35:00.002-05:002013-11-12T19:40:46.845-05:00"Top 10 Bill Everett Covers" Feature for Wednesday's Heroes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s1600/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s200/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>As if I haven't written enough these days, here's another 2000+ words on one of my favorite artists, Bill Everett!<br /><br />Craig Rogers runs the "Wednesday's Heroes" website and he commissioned me to write an installment for his "Top 10 Covers" feature, in light of the release last month of my book, <i>Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 2</i>.<br /><br />I first caught wind of the "Top 10 Covers" feature when I saw Tom Field do the same for Gene Colan, and was interested myself in what I'd label as Everett's ten best covers, not too much how I'd ever be able to order them ten through to one.<br /><br />Blessedly, Everett was great from start to finish in his career, so there's representation from 1939 up to the year of his passing in 1973.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><a href="http://wednesdaysheroes.com/top-10-bill-everett-covers/" target="_blank">Click here to view my crack at the "Top Ten Bill Everett Covers"!</a></i></span></div><br />Leave your feedback below, or at the Wednesday's Heroes site, about my 10 and how it may compare to your choices! Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-49870294449239270722013-10-19T12:38:00.002-04:002013-10-19T12:49:22.333-04:00Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4 web launch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSQy7rBXrR0/UiZ2z4hYlRI/AAAAAAAAApg/0WpUIgG8T8U/s1600/DitkoV4-NewCover-Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSQy7rBXrR0/UiZ2z4hYlRI/AAAAAAAAApg/0WpUIgG8T8U/s200/DitkoV4-NewCover-Front.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>The official release of "Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4" is imminent and Fantagraphics has gone "global" with its web launch for the book. Lots of different ways to get a sneak peek of the book.<br /><br />If you can't wait to get the book, you can order it from me directly. I have 10 copies that I will sign for you, and include a one-of-50 signed and number, limited edition, tipped-in plate. The cost is $50, which includes shipping anywhere within Canada and the U.S. (send monies via <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.paypal.com/" target="_blank">Paypal</a></span> to my ditko37@rogers.com address).<br /><br />If you just want the plain jane version and can wait another 4 weeks or so, you can <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606996401/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1606996401&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=beofmoof09-20" target="_blank">order it from Amazon at this link</a></span>.<br /><br />What's the scoop on this volume? Five years before Steve Ditko began work on his now legendary co-creations for Marvel Comics, the Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, he was producing some of his best work in near anonymity for Charlton Comics.<br /><br />Like its predecessors, this volume features over 200 meticulously restored full-color pages of Ditko in his early prime - stories that have never seen a proper reprinting until now, thrilling stories of suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims all delineated in Ditko’s wildly idiosyncratic, masterful style. Here's a video preview of the book...<br /><br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/geUrzerPnV4?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></center><br />This fourth volume ranks as the best in the Steve Ditko Archives series to date thanks in large part to the inspiration Ditko took from comics derived from the classic host-narrated radio shows, which gave an extra oomph to his creepy yarns. Moreover, comics such as <i>This Magazine Is Haunted</i> and <i>Tales of the Mysterious Traveler</i> bore witness to a veritable explosion in Ditko’s ingenuity in terms of manipulating the traditional comic-book page layout. This new level of excellence also manifested itself in his work on other books, such as <i>Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds</i>, <i>Out of This World</i>, <i>Strange Suspense Stories</i>, and <i>Unusual Tales</i>, all of which are amply represented in this volume.<br /><br /><b>More sneak peek links:</b> <br /><br /><a name='more'></a>1) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/images/stories/previews/imptal-preview.pdf" target="_blank">26-page .pdf excerpt</a></span>, including three stories to peruse.<br /><br />2) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantagraphics/sets/72157636695177505/" target="_blank">Flickr Photo Album</a></span>, with numerous still shots of the book.<br /><br />3) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/steveditkoarchives" target="_blank">"Steve Ditko Archives" Facebook Page</a></span>, with exclusive content.<br /><br />4) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/impossibletales" target="_blank">Fantagraphics Home Page</a></span> for the book. <br /><br />Leave your feedback in the Comments section below. We'd love to hear from you.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-17768639881310191892013-10-12T11:51:00.002-04:002013-10-12T11:51:53.289-04:00"Secret History Of Marvel Comics" are in da (my) house!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HHvxzIwwjiE/UlltYHCXQAI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Cw75RR_b69c/s1600/Blake-DocV-13-10-11-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HHvxzIwwjiE/UlltYHCXQAI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Cw75RR_b69c/s1600/Blake-DocV-13-10-11-sm.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Co-Authors Blake Bell and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo give man-birth to a weighty tome.</td></tr></tbody></table>Okay, they are in Michael's house, here in upstate New York City, but it's not often in life when you have <i>that</i> opportunity to hold a book, for the first time, that you've written. Last night was one of those, to date, nine times with the arrival of advance copies of our "The Secret History Of Marvel Comics". (Today, I get to hold a copy of "Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4".)<br /><br />I'm down here in NYC for "The Secret History Of Marvel Comics" <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://secrethistoryofmarvelcomics.blogspot.ca/2013/09/nyc-book-release-party-w-al-jaffee-stan.html" target="_blank">Official Book Release Event in New York City</a></span> (tonight at 7pm, hosted by the Society Of Illustrators, at 128 E 63rd St., between Park and Lexington Ave). I'll also have a <i>very</i> limited number of copies available of the Ditko Archives vol. 4 for sale at the event. This will be your first chance to get signed copies of both books, weeks before they hit stores.<br /><br />Other reasons why you should come out to the event tonight:<br /><br />1) We'll be joined by <b>artists Al Jaffee</b> and <b>Stan Goldberg</b> to discuss their memories of working for Martin Goodman during the halcyon days of Marvel Comics in the 1940s and 50s!<br /><br />2) Attendees will receive a signed, limited edition, <b>tipped-in plate</b> for the book.<br /><br />3) Come and see the unveiling of the "<b>Martin Goodman Exhibit</b>!" Get a first hand look at all those Martin Goodman publications, from the 1930s to the 1950s, up close and personal!<br /><br />4) The cost of admission also gives you access to an <b>exclusive signing session</b> and <b>catered reception</b> afterwards (with cash bar).<br /><br /> "The Secret History Of Marvel Comics" also has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb66vcWB7__TaXxHqJu-BtA?feature=watch" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> featuring me and Michael J. Vassallo discussing the secrets behind the book in a 10-part video series. Plus, we'll continue to add more videos throughout the next two months.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-3720896138876985732013-10-03T22:50:00.005-04:002013-10-03T22:51:32.237-04:00Bill Everett Archives Contest! Pick Your Favourite Cover!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxUvE5HPZ0/UkjVNFJVROI/AAAAAAAAAqo/F9FoLIoFbdo/s1600/everett2pad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxUvE5HPZ0/UkjVNFJVROI/AAAAAAAAAqo/F9FoLIoFbdo/s200/everett2pad.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>"Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2" is making its way through bookstores and through the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/09/bill-everett-archives-goes-digital-at.html" target="_blank">digital stores like Comixology</a></span>, but you can win a copy of <i>both</i> volumes in our "Pick Your Favourite Bill Everett Cover Contest!"<br /><br />Our friends over at the website, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://wednesdaysheroes.com/" target="_blank">Wednesday's Heroes</a></span>, run a feature called "<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://wednesdaysheroes.com/blog/featured-columns/top-ten-covers/" target="_blank">Top Ten Covers</a></span>" where, you guessed it, they feature the top ten covers of a particular artist with commentary by writers like yours truly.<br /><br />I'll be doing up such a feature for Bill Everett, but here's where you can help, and snag yourself a copy of both volumes in the Archives series.<br /><br />Simply tell us what is <i>your</i> favourite Bill Everett cover, and why it's your favourite, either in the Comments Section below, or on <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BlakeBellNews" target="_blank">my personal Facebook page</a></span>, or like <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bill-Everett/266398518700" target="_blank">my Bill Everett Facebook Page</a></span> and post it there.<br /><br />If yours is the same as mine (which I won't reveal until I post my entire list on the Wednesday's Heroes site), you'll be eligible to win both volumes. If more than one person picks my favourite, all those who did will be entered in a random draw and the winner will announced here on my site.<br /><br />Got it? Here's a helpful start. Click on <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/search/advanced/process/?target=cover&amp;method=icontains&amp;logic=False&amp;keywords=&amp;order1=series&amp;order2=date&amp;order3=&amp;start_date=&amp;end_date=&amp;title=&amp;feature=&amp;job_number=&amp;pages=&amp;script=&amp;pencils=Bill+Everett&amp;inks=&amp;colors=&amp;letters=&amp;story_editing=&amp;genre=&amp;characters=&amp;synopsis=&amp;reprint_notes=&amp;story_reprinted=None&amp;notes=&amp;pub_name=&amp;pub_notes=&amp;brand=&amp;brand_notes=&amp;indicia_publisher=&amp;is_surrogate=None&amp;ind_pub_notes=&amp;series=&amp;series_year_began=&amp;series_notes=&amp;tracking_notes=&amp;issue_count=&amp;is_comics=None&amp;format=&amp;color=&amp;dimensions=&amp;paper_stock=&amp;binding=&amp;publishing_format=&amp;issues=&amp;volume=&amp;issue_title=&amp;variant_name=&amp;issue_date=&amp;indicia_frequency=&amp;price=&amp;issue_pages=&amp;issue_editing=&amp;isbn=&amp;barcode=&amp;issue_notes=&amp;issue_reprinted=None&amp;is_indexed=None" target="_blank">THIS LINK</a></span> at comics.org to view 345 different Bill Everett covers. Feel feel to post the title name and issue number, as well as a link to the cover (or, if on Facebook, just post the cover). The only "catch" is that the first cover you post, that's the one that gets considered for the contest. Now...GO! (Contest ends Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 11:59pm.)Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-84709784194939166732013-09-29T21:47:00.000-04:002013-09-29T21:48:46.288-04:00Bill Everett Archives goes digital at Comixology!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxUvE5HPZ0/UkjVNFJVROI/AAAAAAAAAqk/rBKR3HtlZV8/s1600/everett2pad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxUvE5HPZ0/UkjVNFJVROI/AAAAAAAAAqk/rBKR3HtlZV8/s200/everett2pad.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>September has seen the debut on "Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2" in stores, but you can now get <i>both</i> volumes of the series available for digital download at Comixology! Click on the titles of each volume for links right to their respective Comixology pages.<br /><ul></ul><span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.comixology.com/Amazing-Mysteries-Bill-Everett-Archives-Vol-1/digital-comic/40645" target="_blank">Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 1</a></b> - </span>collects over 200 pages of this never-before-reprinted work from titles such as <i>Amazing Mystery Funnies</i> (1938), <i>Amazing-Man Comics</i> (1939), <i>Target Comics</i> (1940), <i>Heroic Comics</i> (1940), and <i>Blue Bolt Comics</i> (1940). These titles feature an endless array of great vintage Everett characters such as Amazing-Man, Hydroman, Skyrocket Steele, Sub-Zero, The Chameleon, and many more, all produced by Everett’s shop Funnies, Inc. for such clients as Centaur, Novelty Press, and Eastern Color, and all displaying Everett’s brilliant cartooning and energetic storytelling.<br /><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">This book collects over 200 pages of this never-before-reprinted work from titles such as <i>Amazing Mystery Funnies</i> (1938), <i>Amazing-Man Comics</i> (1939), <i>Target Comics</i> (1940), <i>Heroic Comics</i> (1940), and <i>Blue Bolt Comics</i> (1940). These titles feature an endless array of great vintage Everett characters such as Amazing-Man, Hydroman, Skyrocket Steele, Sub-Zero, The Chameleon, and many more, all produced by Everett’s shop Funnies, Inc. for such clients as Centaur, Novelty Press, and Eastern Color, and all displaying Everett’s brilliant cartooning and energetic storytelling. - See more at: http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/amazing-mysteries-the-bill-everett-archives-vol.-1-pre-order-2.html#sthash.HsgMHgyx.dpuf<br /><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">This book collects over 200 pages of this never-before-reprinted work from titles such as <i>Amazing Mystery Funnies</i> (1938), <i>Amazing-Man Comics</i> (1939), <i>Target Comics</i> (1940), <i>Heroic Comics</i> (1940), and <i>Blue Bolt Comics</i> (1940). These titles feature an endless array of great vintage Everett characters such as Amazing-Man, Hydroman, Skyrocket Steele, Sub-Zero, The Chameleon, and many more, all produced by Everett’s shop Funnies, Inc. for such clients as Centaur, Novelty Press, and Eastern Color, and all displaying Everett’s brilliant cartooning and energetic storytelling. - See more at: http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/amazing-mysteries-the-bill-everett-archives-vol.-1-pre-order-2.html#sthash.HsgMHgyx.dpuf</div></div><br /><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comixology.com/Amazing-Mysteries-Bill-Everett-Archives-Heroic-Tales-Vol-2/digital-comic/47409" target="_blank">Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 2</a></span></b> - is almost 250 pages deep; a huge heaping of not only the remainder of his Golden Age action hero material, but his 1950s horror work, his humor and romance material, as well as his phenomenal fantasy work from the early 1970s. Most everyone knows that Bill created the Sub-Mariner (for Marvel Comics #1 in 1939) and co-created Daredevil, The Man Without Fear (along with Stan Lee) in the 1960s, but he also touched every genre in comic-book history, and you see it all in this volume.<br /><br />Get into the digital age with Bill Everett and Comixology! <br /><br /><br />Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-6531918536940762542013-09-26T19:06:00.000-04:002013-09-26T19:06:18.743-04:00NYC Book Release Party w/ Al Jaffee & Stan Goldberg!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-146d_bYJlQg/UkS8vUWRYVI/AAAAAAAAAqY/7BkJ3-qFyHY/s1600/SHoMC-SOI-OctEvent-ColorPoster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-146d_bYJlQg/UkS8vUWRYVI/AAAAAAAAAqY/7BkJ3-qFyHY/s200/SHoMC-SOI-OctEvent-ColorPoster.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>Check out the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.secrethistoryofmarvelcomics.blogspot.ca/2013/09/nyc-book-release-party-w-al-jaffee-stan.html" target="_blank">"Secret History of Marvel Comics" Book Blog</a></span> for an announcement about our official book release event <span class="userContent"> in New York City on the Saturday (Oct 12 at 7pm) of the NY Con at the Society Of Illustrators!&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span class="userContent">Not only will you get a crack at the book weeks before <span class="text_exposed_show">it hits stores, but we're being joined by famed artists AL JAFFEE and STAN GOLDBERG who will discuss their memories of working for Martin Goodman during the halcyon days of Marvel Comics in the 1940s and 50s!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Your ticket also gets you get a signed, limited edition, tipped-in plate; an exclusive book signing session; a catered reception afterwards (!) and the debut of the "Martin Goodman Exhibit!" Tickets are <i>extremely</i> limited, so go to the book's blog for a link to purchase tickets.</span></span>Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-55816386551268915712013-09-05T21:24:00.001-04:002013-09-05T21:24:15.891-04:00"Secret History Of Marvel Comics" 1st Look!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyPKaPy7CAs/UiktNLKX19I/AAAAAAAAAqE/BDa0atbbZAk/s1600/BookPic-Fanta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyPKaPy7CAs/UiktNLKX19I/AAAAAAAAAqE/BDa0atbbZAk/s200/BookPic-Fanta.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>We're back for the third time in a week; this time with news on the release of my third book coming out this fall: "The Secret History Of Marvel Comics". The publisher, Fantagraphics, has received some promo copies, and we've got three teaser images to whet your appetite! (Click to enlarge)<br /><br />If you want a crack at getting your copy first, you can click <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&amp;flypage=shop.flypage&amp;product_id=2136&amp;category_id=544&amp;manufacturer_id=0&amp;option=com_virtuemart&amp;Itemid=62" target="_blank">HERE</a></span> to pre-order the book right from the Fantagraphics website. The book is on target for a mid-to-late October release (right after my <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/08/bill-everett-archives-vol-2-on-sale-now.html" target="_blank">Bill Everett Archives vol. 2 book</a></span>, and my <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/09/steve-ditko-archives-vol-4-first-look.html" target="_blank">Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4 book</a></span>, also out in early October).<br /><br /><center><table border="0"><tbody><tr><td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ood1myEIzI/Uiks03KcvkI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Z5fQSmIt0f8/s1600/BookPicADC-Fanta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ood1myEIzI/Uiks03KcvkI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Z5fQSmIt0f8/s200/BookPicADC-Fanta.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilI1bGQFJrY/Uiks8Pp1TpI/AAAAAAAAAp8/IO3_kI6EeEI/s1600/BookPicKirby-Fanta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilI1bGQFJrY/Uiks8Pp1TpI/AAAAAAAAAp8/IO3_kI6EeEI/s200/BookPicKirby-Fanta.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />Marvel Comics would probably prefer that their origins go unremembered, but myself and early Marvel historian, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, trace Marvel's roots in the sordid, exploitative pulp publishing empire of Martin Goodman. You'll also be treated to a bounty of rare, never-before-reprinted artwork by such comics legends as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett, Al Jaffee, and Dan DeCarlo, plus top-tier pulp artists, including Norman Saunders, John Walter Scott, Hans Wesso, and L.F. Bjorklund.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-61464195820179169442013-09-03T20:01:00.001-04:002013-09-03T20:02:57.669-04:00Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 4 first look!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSQy7rBXrR0/UiZ2z4hYlRI/AAAAAAAAApc/HbPP6EZmv_w/s1600/DitkoV4-NewCover-Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSQy7rBXrR0/UiZ2z4hYlRI/AAAAAAAAApc/HbPP6EZmv_w/s200/DitkoV4-NewCover-Front.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>Well, I <i>was</i> going to do an update on why you should purchase "Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2" (<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/08/bill-everett-archives-vol-2-on-sale-now.html" target="_blank">on sale now directly from Fantagraphics</a></span>; in stores in the next 2 weeks), but how about your first look at the new cover for "Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4!" (At a book a week, maybe you'll get news on our "Secret History Of Marvel Comics" book next!)<br /><br />You click on the image above, <i>or</i> to see the entire wraparound cover, click on the image below. This latest volume of Ditko goodness - continuing the exhibition of his 1957 work - should be available in early October! Fantagraphics always gets their mail-order copies out first, so you can pre-order from them right now at <a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&amp;flypage=shop.flypage&amp;product_id=2262&amp;category_id=660&amp;manufacturer_id=0&amp;option=com_virtuemart&amp;Itemid=62" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=2262&category_id=660&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62" target="_blank">this link on their website</a></span>.<br /><br />Five years before Steve Ditko began work on his co-creations for Marvel Comics, the Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, he was producing his best work in near anonymity for Charlton Comics. “Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives V4” features over 200 full-color pages of Ditko in his early prime. These are stories that have never seen a proper reprinting until now; thrilling stories of suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims all led into Ditko’s web of artistic mastery over the comic-book form. <br /><br />This fourth volume ranks as the most superior in the Archives series to date because of the inspiration Ditko took from comics related to old radio shows and that had hosts who narrated the tales. <i>This Magazine is Haunted</i> and <i>Tales of The Mysterious Traveler</i> saw an explosion in Ditko’s ingenuity with manipulating the traditional comic-book page layout. This level of excellence was also present in his work on other books like <i>Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds, Out of This World, Strange Suspense Stories</i>, and <i>Unusual Tales</i>, marking this fourth volume as the best example yet of the Steve Ditko that later crafted iconic classics with Stan Lee at Marvel Comics in the 1960s.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Click on the image below to enlarge)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U08OepVQx-Q/UiZ3OkQNwRI/AAAAAAAAApk/DIRpfBV4y_0/s1600/DitkoV4-NewCover-FrontBack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U08OepVQx-Q/UiZ3OkQNwRI/AAAAAAAAApk/DIRpfBV4y_0/s400/DitkoV4-NewCover-FrontBack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-15242808691718433062013-08-29T23:14:00.001-04:002013-08-29T23:14:13.985-04:00Bill Everett Archives Vol. 2 on sale now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s1600/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s200/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>You heard right. You can finally purchase "Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2"! Click <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/heroictales" target="_blank">HERE</a></span> to go to the ordering page on the Fantagraphics web site where you can purchase volume two, or buy both volumes at a deep discount. <i>&nbsp;</i><br /><br /><i>Currently, you can only purchase the book from Fantagraphics.</i><br /><br />It may not be available in retail stores and online places like Amazon.com for another three weeks, so if you can't wait, jump on it now! (Technically, the assigned street date is September 21, but it could be available earlier, depending upon the sales channel.)<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Why should you buy the Bill Everett Archives vol. 2?</b></span><br /><br />1) It features Bill Everett at his most refined. We finish off the Golden Age of Comics hero material, and then move right into his work done at the peak of his career, from the 1940s right until his passing in the 1970s.<br /><br />2) Get a sampling of his pre-Code horror material published by Marvel in the early 1950s. This volume features SEVEN stories from 1950-52 of Everett at his horrific best!<br /><br />3) The variety of the work. See Everett draw horror, romance, humour (on his super-rare <i>Cracked Magazine</i> material), adventure, war, western...and Bing Crosby! There's lots of work here by Everett that I guarantee you've never seen before!<br /><br />4) Almost 7000 words detailing Everett's career, including never-before-seen quotes from Everett about working with Marvel Comics in its first days back in 1939-42!<br /><br />In the meantime, want to see a video preview of what the book looks like?<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z9TPnn_zADg" width="420"></iframe>Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-26769264781876258542013-08-18T16:43:00.002-04:002013-08-18T16:46:19.224-04:00Bill Everett Archives v2 ToC & 23-page preview unveiled!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s1600/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s200/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>The release of "Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol.2" is almost upon us! <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/heroic-tales-the-bill-everett-archives-vol.-2.html?vmcchk=1" target="_blank">Click here to view the book's page on the Fantagraphics Books, Inc. website , has a page on its website</a></span> where you can:<br /><br />1) view a 23-page (!) preview.<br />2) pre-order the book <i>and</i> get vols. 1 and 2 at a major discount!<br />3) view the Table of Contents for the first time ever.<br /><br />I emphasize the last point because the contents of the book has never been revealed until now...and it is <i>filled</i> with surprises! The vast majority of the book shows Bill Everett at his absolute peak, at his most refined as an artist, covering his earliest days in 1940 until his passing in 1973.<br /><br />You get a huge heaping of not only his Golden Age action hero material, but his 1950s horror work, his humor and romance material, as well as his phenomenal fantasy work from the early 1970s. Most everyone knows that Bill created the Sub-Mariner (for Marvel Comics #1 in 1939) and co-created Daredevil, The Man Without Fear (along with Stan Lee) in the 1960s, but he also touched every genre in comic-book history, and you see it all in this volume.<br /><br />You also get a number of essays by yours truly that covers the beginning of his days in the industry up until his passing, with quite a number of quotes by Everett from an unpublished interview in the late 1960s.<br /><br />Thanks for everyone who purchased "Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 1" and we hope that you'll support this second (and last) volume dedicated to one of the medium's greatest artists: Bill Everett!Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-9272847573954095132013-08-04T14:29:00.000-04:002013-08-04T14:33:23.036-04:00Half price on all my books at my NYC Event!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NLxLNkxK3Ww/Uf6ZhZGffuI/AAAAAAAAApM/0sHmpDWnEbI/s1600/Secret-History-of-Marvel-Comics-FINAL+COVER-Med-Blog-Jul13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NLxLNkxK3Ww/Uf6ZhZGffuI/AAAAAAAAApM/0sHmpDWnEbI/s200/Secret-History-of-Marvel-Comics-FINAL+COVER-Med-Blog-Jul13.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>For those who have been following the new <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://secrethistoryofmarvelcomics.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Secret History Of Marvel Comics Book Blog</a></span>, you'll know that I am going to be in New York City this coming Wednesday at 7pm for a <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.societyillustrators.org/Mocca_Event.aspx?id=10267" target="_blank">pre-release event at the Society Of Illustrators</a></span>. We've given people lots of reasons to attend: 1) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://secrethistoryofmarvelcomics.blogspot.ca/2013/08/special-ltd-ed-tipped-in-plate-for-nyc.html" target="_blank">a special, limited edition, tipped-in plate</a></span> only available in NYC; 2) <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.secrethistoryofmarvelcomics.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-secret-of-discount-tickets-for-aug.html" target="_blank">discount tickets if you pre-order the book from Fantagraphics</a></span>; 3) author Danny Fingeroth interviewing me and co-author, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo about the making of the book; 4) a first-look preview slide show of the book's contents, including works by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett and many more; 5) an audience Q&amp;A; 6) a special book signing event after the show. And now we give you one more reason to attend!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">50% of all my books</span></b></span><br />For the book signing event after the show, I'll be making the special offer of selling my books at half off the cover price. That's right; all my $40 books will be available (to also be signed by me) at only $20 per copy. The books included are:<br /><ul><li>Strange &amp; Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko</li><li>Unexplored Worlds: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 2 </li><li>Mysterious Traveler: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 3</li><li>Fire &amp; Water: Bill Everett...</li><li>Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 1</li></ul>I only have a certain number of each books left, so if you'd like to reserve copies, you can send the $20 via Paypal to <span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:ditko37@rogers.com">ditko37@rogers.com</a></span>, and I'll make sure you have a copy waiting for you.<br /><br />* If you can't make the event, but still want to take advantage of the offer, contact me at the above email address, we can work out the cost of shipping, and I'll send off whatever is available after the event. (Remember, I will be in the U.S. during this time, so shipping will be much cheaper than sending from my hometown of Toronto, Canada.)<br /><br />We're hoping to see everyone at the event as we unveil a first peek at the contents of the <i>Secret History of Marvel Comics</i>, available in stores by November of 2013 from Fantagraphics Books, Inc.!Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-81281229997125537232013-06-24T22:43:00.001-04:002013-06-24T22:43:25.579-04:00Video of Kim Thompson on 2001 SD Con Fantagraphics Panel<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/69051716" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br /><br />Remember in <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-life-well-lived-memories-of-kim.html" target="_blank">my previous post</a></span>, on my memories of Fantagraphics co-publisher, Kim Thompson, who passed away last week, where I mentioned my first meeting with Kim?<br /><br />Well, here's a segment of the "Origins Of Fantagraphics" video - featuring Mike Catron on your left, Gary Groth in the centre, and Kim Thompson on your right - from the 2001 San Diego Comic-Con.<br /><br />The man manning the camera? A much younger version of me. It was right after this panel that Mike Catron (for whose camera I was manning) introduced me to both Kim and Gary.<br /><br />Nice stuff. Haven't seen this since it was shot.<br /><br />Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-19503799676679323242013-06-20T23:12:00.001-04:002013-06-20T23:15:30.433-04:00A Life Well Lived: Memories of Kim Thompson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rhU1rX77580/UcPDhOiBwoI/AAAAAAAAAnI/i0AdRl6lKak/s1600/kimthompsonSDCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rhU1rX77580/UcPDhOiBwoI/AAAAAAAAAnI/i0AdRl6lKak/s1600/kimthompsonSDCC.jpg" /></a></div><span id="goog_1944158005"></span><span id="goog_1944158006"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I think that you’ve lived a life worth living if you:<br /><ul><li>Lived and died doing what you loved for a living;</li><li>Left the world a better place because of your contributions;</li><li>Made a tangible impact on at least one person who is better off for knowing you;</li><li>Have people praise you when you are alive, as well as when you are no longer with us.</li></ul><br />There are plenty of other people who knew Kim Thompson better and for longer, who worked closer with and lived closer to him, but I think I knew well enough and worked with him long enough to say with good certainty that Kim nailed it on all four of the above points.<br /><br />For those unaware, Kim Thompson is the co-publisher of Fantagraphics Books Inc., alongside his friend and business partner of 35+ years, Gary Groth. Kim passed away Wednesday, after a short battle with cancer, and I count myself blessed to have worked with both men, almost exclusively with Kim for the past two-and-a-half years on what will total nine books by the end of 2013 with their company.<br /><br />The first thought that comes to mind when I think, “Kim Thompson!” is that the man was blessed to have spent his entire professional life doing what he loved – working in the comic-book field, producing a ton of quality comic books and graphic novels (including a number of translations, and “foreign” artists that may never have seen North American shores without Kim’s efforts).<br /><br />Like, he got to do it full-time. For a living. That’s frickin’ cool.<br /><br />I met Kim for the first time at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2001. More on that a little later, but I remember sitting there at the Eisner Awards that year, just dreaming about one day being able to be a working part of the industry, enthralled by the love of the medium that was present in that room.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>I haven’t gotten to do it for a living, and the fact that Kim did so only amplifies my respect for him. The fact that he and Gary have conducted themselves with such integrity, especially in contrast to the players who birthed the industry back in the 1930s, is even more impressive when you consider the conditions under which they (heck, almost anyone) labours in this industry.<br /><br />You may have gleaned this, but (other than living off of the usurped intellectual property of a few of the founding fathers in comics) making a living in comics ain’t easy and can be downright perilous. It’s, to date, a print medium featuring non-moving (in literal/comparative terms to movies and video games) imagery. That’s a major strike against you in the 21st century. I have a 13-year old son who loves the superhero movies and video games, but barely touches a comic book. Most people in the comic-book industry probably feel either like King Sisyphus (expending all that energy rolling that rock up the hill, always worried that it might roll down again at your first sign of weakness) or Moses, who didn’t make it into the promised land because he tapped a rock instead of shouting at it. It can feel like that thin of a razor’s edge. And you don’t <i>dare</i> divide the number of hours worked into the compensation. The thought of such an hourly rate would drop you dead from a heart attack on the spot.<br /><br />I belabour this point only to make the point that you are only able to survive in this industry if you absolutely love what you are doing. And there’s little doubt Kim did.<br /><br />Kim and Gary chose a path of quality product over fat profit margins, and were leaders in standing for what they believed was right in an industry with a history of publishers who used and abused those who made them millions with their creations.<br /><br />Choosing that path meant, on many books, no doubt, slim to little profit margins, but they always aimed for the highest quality in everything they published, pushing the limits of production, spending the extra money to make the physical product that much more special. A number of my books have numerous little “flourishes” that a publisher more invested in their bottom line wouldn’t have bothered with. They, however, took immense pride in seeing the realization of their efforts; that moment when they finally held the book in their hands and would show me what they had done.<br /><br />That’s a lot of “we” and “they” for a piece on Kim’s passing, but (for me, at least) tough to separate the two men. They did, indeed, have some similar personality traits – at times, like mischievous kids in Junior High – but you could easily discern that they also were opposites in a number of areas, but were blessed that those complimented each other perfectly, and their business, perfectly.<br /><br />As mentioned, my first encounter with Kim was at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2001. It was my first convention outside of my home country of Canada, and it was an eye-opener for many reasons. Not just because of its scope, but because all my heroes of the Silver Age of Marvel Comics were there (for one of the last times), and because my first-ever article on comics was published by TwoMorrows in an issue of <i>Comic Book Artist</i>.<br /><br />Somehow, this led to a meeting with the pre-Kim Thompson other half of Fantagraphics, Mike Catron (now happily – for me – back at Fantagraphics and editing my work). He was filming seemingly every panel at that SDCC. And somehow he looped me into helping man his camera so he could film <i>more</i> panels.<br /><br />One panel that I ended up filming was a (I want to say 25-year look back at the history of) Fantagraphics panel with Gary, Kim and Mike on the dais. <br /><br />Mike pretty much introduced me to the entire comic-book industry at that Con. Back then, other than that first article, I had made a few contributions to <i>Alter Ego</i>, but was mostly known for a Steve Ditko site I had started in 1998 that led to, that summer of 2001, being the web-designer/master for Steve Ditko and his co-publisher’s internet site for their self-publishing efforts (a site that lasted until they read that first article o’ mine in early September).<br /><br />As Mike was introducing me to Kim and others, that designation of mine caught the ear of Gary Groth, who turned his eye to me and 12 years-to-date of association was born.<br /><br />Most of my original interaction was with Gary, but once my first Ditko book began to really come together in 2007, I was blessed to work with both, either together, or (since 2010) almost exclusively with Kim editing and shepherding my Ditko and Everett books into existence.<br /><br />Kim left numerous impressions on me. First, he had a wonderful balance of Gentleman and fiery pursuer of quality at the expense of your ego. <i>That’s</i> not easy to accomplish.<br /><br />What I mean by that is he clearly loved his craft so much that his genuine goodness as a person helped him get the best out of people like myself – almost nurturing in a fashion – but could also be tough if you crossed a line, in terms of the quality of your work, or if you exhibited a lack of diligence in living up to your obligations in producing it.<br /><br />Kim and Gary aren’t arrested adolescents; they are professionals who put their living on the line every day. It’s a difficult industry to rise above an earnings threshold, and quality work and ambitious respecters of the process are table stake expectations. You may not be Joyce, Wilde, or Wolfe, but you’re not going to take them down with you below a certain level of quality that they have set the bar at achieving on all projects.<br /><br />Kim had that balance down pat, demanding a good job, but also able to be an understanding person when life has its ups and downs that, especially in an industry where many can’t make it as their sole livelihood, can impact the work you do.<br /><br />He hit me hard on my very first book, <i>I Have To Live With This Guy!</i>, from back in 2002 (deservedly so), and I lived with it through to my 2008 book for Fantagraphics – <i>Strange and Stranger: The World Of Steve Ditko</i> – and beyond. I was determined to show him growth in my writing with each new project, and that I could produce. Publishers <i>love</i> producers, especially ones that don’t give them a lot of grief. And he was kind enough to acknowledge that each project got better. I was just re-reading an email exchange tonight, from June of 2010, regarding the introduction to the second volume of the<i> Steve Ditko Archives</i>. He had flipped me his edit, and I virtually begged him for commentary on its quality. He said:<br /><br />“Worked for me, some good insights. Solid. Not too hard to work on, your effort definitely showed.<br /><br />Zoom zoom,<br /><br />--k.t.”<br /><br />That was a big accomplishment in my book, as was the copy for the distributor catalog for one of the Ditko Archives (in 2011) where he said he barely had to change a thing.<br /><br />Back in 2008 and 2010, I thought I was the BMOC when <i>both</i> Gary and Kim proofed my first Ditko book and then my first Bill Everett book, the latter exchange done whilst on my honeymoon, a two-week cruise of the Caribbean. Gary went first and when he was done, I told my new bride, “Ok, Kim’s going to go over, but probably just a few extra things.” <i>Wrong</i>. Kim was <i>that</i> good of a proof-reader and editor.<br /><br />After that exchange, I really doubled-down on producing quality work because I knew what was expected from Kim. In November of 2010, he took over the “Blake Bell franchise”, as he called it, because Gary was tipping the scales a bit more at that time, and we worked exclusively together on all my books since. <br /><br />I’m jumping all over the place now – how Kim would not approve – but many more memories are coming back that represent the man even as I write. Amongst them:<br /><br />It became a running joke that he chose all the titles of my books from <i>Strange and Stranger</i> and <i>Fire and Water</i>, to all the Ditko and Everett Archives. (For those, I’d give him a bunch to choose from, but he’d then pick ‘em. Why mess with success?) I only hold the belt for coming up with <i>The Secret History of Marvel Comics</i>.<br /><br />He was quick to embrace an idea he loved, even if it cost him more time than he budgeted for. I came up with this crazy idea for the first Steve Ditko Archives of having the “Fanta Generation” of “alternative cartoonists” write essays on those pre-Code Ditko stories and we’d intersperse them through the book. Seth, Dan Clowes, Gilbert Hernandez, Dash Shaw, etc. , even Frank Miller. And he diligently went after every one of them. We let it go when we couldn’t get enough to sign up in the timelines we needed them by, but I appreciated his tolerance!<br /><br />The man also took care of me. In other words, he made sure I got paid on time. That’s a big deal in this industry, especially for someone of my “stature.” (I.e., I’m not exactly going to “take down” Fantagraphics with me if I stopped producing books about comic-book creators born before the Great Depression.) And, over the past three or so years, I’ve really needed to get paid on time, and he was always able to deliver and understand the whys, and sharing a sympathetic note amongst his insanely busy schedule.<br /><br />He'd forward me emails from comic-book creators who had nice things to say about my books, and he sent me the email telling me about my first Eisner nomination for my <i>Fire and Water</i> Bill Everett book. That took me right back to that 2001 SDCC on Eisner Awards night, thinking about how I’d like to be Jill Thompson, running up to that stage with such incredible enthusiasm. It wasn’t the award/nomination that was of interest; it was being part of a “family” and I am thankful to Kim (and Gary) for allowing me to be a part of theirs.<br /><br />That’s what made that email from March of this year so shocking. It was the note that he had cancer. We followed up with an exchange about how he was going to beat this, and I still remember <i>that</i> feeling when I saw <i>that</i> update, the one where it dawned on me for the first time that he wasn’t going to conquer this. My step-father passed away even quicker from cancer back in 2000, so it shouldn’t be a shock, but a world without a vital Kim Thompson producing comic books and graphic novels still seems like a world that has been knocked off its axis. The world will right itself, but will feel just different enough.<br /><br />So, he lived his whole life doing what he loved to do; he left the world a better place because of all the fantastic books he brought to all of us; he made a tangible impact on me as a writer and editor; and I am one of those people who praised him while he was with us and am praising him now as a professional and as a man.<br /><br />A life well lived.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-22306609001364022702013-05-18T13:14:00.001-04:002013-05-18T13:20:28.130-04:00Steve Ditko Archives goes Digital: More on "Strange Suspense"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7PlLkeKBhQ/UY51tvRYW9I/AAAAAAAAAks/il5AvUyZmSw/s1600/StrangeSuspenseDigital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7PlLkeKBhQ/UY51tvRYW9I/AAAAAAAAAks/il5AvUyZmSw/s200/StrangeSuspenseDigital.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://blakebellnews.blogspot.ca/2013/05/steve-ditko-archives-goes-digital-via.html" target="_blank">Last Saturday</a></span>, we posted the news that <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comixology.com/Strange-Suspense-The-Steve-Ditko-Archives-Vol-1/digital-comic/JUL090862" target="_blank">you can now order a digital version</a></span> of my book, <i>Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 1</i> via Comixology. This has jump-started us to take a deeper look at some stats from the original art that differ quite a bit from the published version of the story found in the volume. First, we looked at "Range War", and now we take a look at the stats of Ditko's 3rd professional solo job, "A Hole In His Head." The 6-page story is from 1953's <i>Black Magic</i> #27, done when Ditko briefly worked at the Joe Simon &amp; Jack Kirby studio.<br /><br />Really, this post and my last were inspired by Nick Caputo's examination of the two stories in question. Here's a link to his <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://nick-caputo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/jack-kirby-steve-ditko-and-that-old.html" target="_blank">"Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and that old Black Magic" post</a></span> that looks at the latter story for alterations to Ditko's artwork by Kirby.<br /><br />The B&amp;W stats show some <i>different</i> alterations to the production work on the first page but, <i>most importantly</i>, to the last panel of the story that was wiped out and replaced with an pimple ointment ad! Before that, though...<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Still want a print copy?</b></span><br /><br />I still have a few copies of the $39.99 hardcover of <i>Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 1</i>. If you'd still like a paper version, send me an email at <span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:ditko37@rogers.com">ditko37@rogers.com</a></span>. I am only asking for the cover price plus any shipping and handling costs to your location. (Correct, I'll charge you just exactly what it costs to bring it to your door, and no more.)<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"A Hole In My Head"</b></span><br /><br />Okay, Black Magic #27. Below is the published splash panel of the first page. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Following that is the B&amp;W stat of the original art before production was finished.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW6toTS80Hc/UZevxyGh-3I/AAAAAAAAAl4/LuFBfT5H7bU/s1600/BM27p1-Orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW6toTS80Hc/UZevxyGh-3I/AAAAAAAAAl4/LuFBfT5H7bU/s1600/BM27p1-Orig.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FacdHy6J7Uc/UZev5HCQqII/AAAAAAAAAmA/S06ynlAkxb0/s1600/BM27p1-BWcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FacdHy6J7Uc/UZev5HCQqII/AAAAAAAAAmA/S06ynlAkxb0/s1600/BM27p1-BWcrop.jpg" /></a></div><br />It's unrealistic to think that there wasn't a story title before the whole story was put together, but it looks like it was a paste-up added later, doesn't it? It's tough to make out those letters near the top on the right. Looks like "ANE -- BU7". (Anyone have a suggestion?)<br /><br />Notice <i>also</i> the signpost! "Madrid 90 kilo" is missing on the B&amp;W stat. It's not like Madrid wasn't already identified as the destination in the text right in that first panel. And in the 2nd panel (not seen here), they mention the 90 kilos on the signpost.<br /><br />But the most fun comes from the last page of the story. Spoilers: These three characters find a skull with a hole in its seemingly-neanderthal head. They then get into a fight over the woman, fall into a pit, which takes them back into time where one of the men shoot the neanderthal in the head, and they all go crazy realizing the paradox. Only the woman escapes with her life, leading to the last two panels in the story...except that in the printed version, there <i>is</i> no last panel...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BouoVN0kHs/UZeyOr7UpGI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/XtA_fakKv0M/s1600/BM27p6-Orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BouoVN0kHs/UZeyOr7UpGI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/XtA_fakKv0M/s1600/BM27p6-Orig.jpg" /></a></div><br />...there's just the oddity of that pimple ointment panel. But, okay, there's a "The End" box in that first panel, so it must have been the end of the story, right? Not so fast. Here's the B&amp;W stat of the same...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1ax_VXuZqw/UZeyjkPSdiI/AAAAAAAAAmY/L_W4KQigt_8/s1600/BM27p6-BWcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1ax_VXuZqw/UZeyjkPSdiI/AAAAAAAAAmY/L_W4KQigt_8/s1600/BM27p6-BWcrop.jpg" /></a></div><br />Now, as Nick Caputo says in his blog post, Ditko did these early Black Magic stories for the Joe Simon and Jack Kirby studio. Those two packaged comics for other publishers, so they'd go over each story from the artists who did work for the studio and, if they didn't think something would help sell the comic, they'd make changes in story and art.<br /><br />It's probably safe to say that the writer of this story had the last panel with a newspaper article and Ditko and/or Ben Oda, the letterer tried to reproduce the look of a newspaper. Clearly, though, Simon or Kirby didn't like it enough; enough to wipe out the whole panel! But don't <i>you</i> want to know that article said? Perhaps the skull was found, but buried in a little story that no one noticed?<br /><br />Clearly, Simon/Kirby thought the <i>presentation</i> of the last panel was so weak that they were willing to toss the "twist ending" and just leave it at the woman as having gone insane. (Wonder how much money they made, if any, off of the placement of that pimple ad? Probably seemed like a good trade at the time. They most definitely didn't think some Canadian and a New Yorker would be examining this stuff 60 years later!)<br /><br />Lots of mysteries and stories can be found in the digital/print version of <i>Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 1</i>. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comixology.com/Strange-Suspense-The-Steve-Ditko-Archives-Vol-1/digital-comic/JUL090862" target="_blank">Get yours today</a></span>. <br /><br />We'll be back soon with news on <i>Heroic Comics: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2</i>! God bless you all. <span class="userContent" data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}">(<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015:12-17&amp;version=NKJV" target="_blank">John 15:12-17</a></span>)</span>Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-52679549887501398942013-05-11T13:46:00.003-04:002013-05-11T14:06:50.711-04:00Steve Ditko Archives goes Digital via Comixology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7PlLkeKBhQ/UY51tvRYW9I/AAAAAAAAAks/il5AvUyZmSw/s1600/StrangeSuspenseDigital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7PlLkeKBhQ/UY51tvRYW9I/AAAAAAAAAks/il5AvUyZmSw/s200/StrangeSuspenseDigital.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>It's been a long time since we've posted here, and that's because I've been working: A) through the final stages of production on my <i>three</i> books that will come out in the second half of this year; B) planning the next two (yep, more on this soon); C) watching translations come to life for a couple of my older books; and D) seeing my back catalogue venture into the digital realm.<br /><br />The first of two on the e-docket now (more on number two coming soon) is the most appropriate. Volume one of my Steve Ditko Archives, <i>Strange Suspense</i>, has been sold out from Fantagraphics and Amazon, etc. (plus I never see it pop up on e-Bay) for quite a while now.<br /><br />But <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&amp;show=Strange-Suspense-Steve-Ditko-Archives-Vol.-1-on-comiXology.html&amp;Itemid=113" target="_blank">Fantagraphics</a></span> and Comixology (the leader in comics on the digital platform) have delivered on a digital version! 238 pages of pre-Comics Code Authority Steve Ditko horror comics (plus a Western <i>and</i> Romance story!)<br /><ul><li><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.comixology.com/Strange-Suspense-The-Steve-Ditko-Archives-Vol-1/digital-comic/JUL090862" target="_blank">Download <i>Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1</i> here from Comixology</a></span>.</li></ul><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Still want a print copy?</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><br />Yes, I still have a "stash" of about 10 copies of the $39.99 hardcover. If you'd still like a paper version, send me an email at <span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:ditko37@rogers.com">ditko37@rogers.com</a></span>. I am only asking for the cover price plus any shipping and handling costs to your location. (Correct, I'll charge you just exactly what it costs to bring it to your door, and no more.)<br /><br />I'll spend the next 9 days updating everyone on each of my current projects, which include <i>Heroic Tales: The Bill Everett Archives vol. 2</i>, <i>The Secret History Of Marvel Comics</i>, and <i>Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 4</i>, and we'll see what I can reveal about the yet-to-be-revealed ones! Now, let's take a deeper look at some of the quirks of Ditko's earliest work that is included in <i>Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives vol. 1</i>...<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Steve Ditko Minutiae</span></b><br /><br />One of the great authorities today on Steve Ditko and the Silver Age of Marvel Comics is Nick Caputo. Nick was actually "in the house" when the very first copies of my <i>Strange And Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko</i> were unboxed into our hands (delivered to the MoCCA museum for the same-named festival back in June of 2008).<br /><a name='more'></a><br />He's written for publications like <i>Alter Ego, Jack Kirby Collector, Comic Book Artist, Comic Book Marketplace, Jack Kirby Quarterly, Ditkomania</i> and Marvel's Omnibus and Masterworks collections. This past week, he's published two entries on his <span style="color: blue;">Marvel Mysteries and Comics Minutiae</span> blog that talk directly to the contents in volume one of my Steve Ditko Archives series. Here's the first:<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://nick-caputo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/early-ditko-and-mystery-of-utah-kid.html" target="_blank">Early Ditko and the mystery of the Utah Kid</a></span><br /><br />Remember that Western story I mentioned above? It's one of the first jobs that Ditko ever drew: <i>Blazing Western</i> #1 (Jan '54). You can read those details on Nick's blog, but that Utah Kid mystery of which he speaks triggered something in my memory, so I ran to my files and found the black-and-white stats of the story (how rare is that?) and solved said mystery.<br /><br />The genesis of Nick's post is that one can tell in the word balloons that another name for the character was erased and the Utah Kid was placed in its stead. Here's the published version from the original comic (buy the digital version and see how well Fantagraphics cleans up the source material for the Steve Ditko Archives series!) beside the original B&amp;W version (followed by the splash page panel containing the balloon - click on all the images to see larger versions)...<br /><br /><center><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WA2qI9JSmFA/UY55GZSaIII/AAAAAAAAAlE/ySJs8_aZqZY/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-crop-WB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WA2qI9JSmFA/UY55GZSaIII/AAAAAAAAAlE/ySJs8_aZqZY/s200/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-crop-WB.jpg" width="200" /></a></td><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XJtrhoknzPE/UY55GBNYwQI/AAAAAAAAAlA/0GBHsoW1eb0/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-BWcrop-WB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XJtrhoknzPE/UY55GBNYwQI/AAAAAAAAAlA/0GBHsoW1eb0/s200/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-BWcrop-WB.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MaV_MDYHnsw/UY54yC7d5iI/AAAAAAAAAk4/A0lyNVC8jXg/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-BWcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MaV_MDYHnsw/UY54yC7d5iI/AAAAAAAAAk4/A0lyNVC8jXg/s400/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-BWcrop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />So, the mystery of the Utah Kid is that he was originally the Silver Kid. Even more intriguing, though, is that, nine months later, a Silver Kid character appears in <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/issue/233874/cover/4/" target="_blank">Silver Kid Western #1</a></span> from Key Publications. As Nick says in his blog post, "'Range War' was an eight page story published by Timor publications, one of a group of imprints, including Stanmor, Gilmore and others, under publisher Stanley P. Morse...Some of Ditko's earliest sales were to Morse, including 'Paper Romance' in Daring Love # 1 (Sept-Oct 1953), with others sold to Ajax-Farrell. Some stories may have been produced for other companies, but eventually saw publication through Morse." And who owned Key Publications? Stanley Morse, of course.<br /><br />What's also interesting is that, in the published version of "Range War", they blacked out the white streak of hair from the original that would later be the "trademark" of the Silver Kid character in the Key Publications' book...<br /><br /><center><table><tbody><tr><td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wv2DGx5rGQM/UY6BdQJ-W3I/AAAAAAAAAlc/vYKSFS1qoGY/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-LP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wv2DGx5rGQM/UY6BdQJ-W3I/AAAAAAAAAlc/vYKSFS1qoGY/s200/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-LP.jpg" width="177" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WA2qI9JSmFA/UY55GZSaIII/AAAAAAAAAlE/ySJs8_aZqZY/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-crop-WB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></td><td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngGDoovmBy0/UY6BhLM0l4I/AAAAAAAAAlk/HApV-M0dKS0/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-LP-BW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngGDoovmBy0/UY6BhLM0l4I/AAAAAAAAAlk/HApV-M0dKS0/s200/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-LP-BW.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XJtrhoknzPE/UY55GBNYwQI/AAAAAAAAAlA/0GBHsoW1eb0/s1600/blazingwestern1_s1p1_54jan-BWcrop-WB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></center>There's no obvious reason why the Silver Kid was changed into the Utah Kid, and then brought back in his own comic. Was Morse planning a Silver Kid comic, didn't like the story (but liked the character and the name "Silver Kid"), and dumped it into one of his Western genre books? Or the Silver Kid book was delayed for some reason (or abandoned, at least for 9 months) and Morse wanted a return on a story that he had paid for? (The eventual Silver Kid comic had a different name and look for the sidekick, so changes were made for the "long-awaited" debut).<br /><br />We'll be back Monday to look at the alterations that Nick mentions in his next post from Black Magic #27, and then we'll get to my projects' updates. God bless, everyone (<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&amp;version=NKJV" target="_blank">John 3:16</a></span>). Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-7384084579310684132013-02-04T12:13:00.000-05:002013-02-04T22:11:28.945-05:00Finder's Fee for Bill Everett Archives Help!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s1600/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s200/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>That's right - if you can help us find someone with a copy (someone who possesses the original comic book) of <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/issue/1013/" target="_blank">Target Comics v1 #8</a></span></b> and <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/issue/579/" target="_blank">Silver Streak Comics #1</a></span></b>, we will give you a copy of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1606996002/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=beofmoof09-20&amp;camp=14573&amp;creative=327641&amp;linkCode=as1&amp;creativeASIN=1606996002&amp;adid=0H0MBWG5WVAGXCWPKXF3&amp;&amp;ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Dbeofmoof09-20%26o%3D1%26p%3D8%26l%3Das1%26asins%3D1606996002%26ref%3Dqf_sp_asin_til%26fc1%3D000000%26IS2%3D1%26lt1%3D_blank%26m%3Damazon%26lc1%3D0000FF%26bc1%3D000000%26bg1%3DFFFFFF%26f%3Difr" target="_blank">Heroic Comics: The Bill Everett Archives v2</a></span> (pictured left) <i>and</i> <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1606994883/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=beofmoof09-20&amp;camp=14573&amp;creative=327641&amp;linkCode=as1&amp;creativeASIN=1606994883&amp;adid=0YKB391QRQ3AJ2Q5XEPC&amp;&amp;ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fblakebellnews.blogspot.ca%2Fp%2Fpurchase-my-books.html" target="_blank">Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives v1</a></span>. (Click <span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:ditko37@rogers.com" target="_blank">HERE</a></span> to email me.)<br /><br />These are the last two items we need to complete the Bill Everett Archives v2. Target #8 contains a 6-page "Chameleon" story by Bill. Silver Streak #1 contains a text story with its first page having two illustrations by Bill. If we get these two, we'll have documented all of Bill's Golden Age work (quite an achievement, given the rarity of this 1938-42 material).<br /><br />Target #8 is a challenge because it contains a Basil Wolverton Spacehawk story. Silver Streak #1 is also tough because of its 1939 date (and the Alan Cross and subsequent reprints left out the text story). I fear that the practice of "slabbing" books has likely led to a number of these key Golden Age books being encased in plastic for all time, hence the challenges we're having in locating them.<br /><br />That's why we're offering a finder's fee. Of course, the person who owns the comics will get comp. copies of the Archives series, but if you find that person, we'll comp you, and put your name in the latest book too.<br /><br />Volume two is going to be the last in the Bill Everett Archives series, so it would be a real shame to not have that work of his documented. Please pass a link to this message amongst your peers and retailers. Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-13469298256075940212012-12-08T13:12:00.001-05:002012-12-08T13:37:48.470-05:00Bill Everett 1950 Lev Gleason story unearthed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FdnZUKPREjE/UMOBXCv6USI/AAAAAAAAAjs/9Xw6nBWIsVQ/s1600/CrimeAndPunishment31p1_50oct-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FdnZUKPREjE/UMOBXCv6USI/AAAAAAAAAjs/9Xw6nBWIsVQ/s200/CrimeAndPunishment31p1_50oct-detail.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>Some of the most satisfying moments in putting together the Bill Everett Archives volumes have been discovering hitherto unknown works that seemingly no one knew existed, and that fall outside of Bill's normal modus operandi - i.e., working as a virtual lifer for Marvel Comics, creating the Sub-Mariner in 1939, doing all those horror books in the 1950s, and co-creating Daredevil in the 1960s.<br /><br /><i>We're still one story away - Target Comics #8 - from completing Everett's 1938-42 work in volume 2. If you have this comic, please email me.</i><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=Bill%20Everett%20Archives&amp;tag=beofmoof09-20&amp;index=aps&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325" target="_blank"><i>Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives</i> v1</a></span> focused on Bill's earliest Golden Age comics - from 1938 to 1942 - for companies other than the oft-reprinted Marvel superhero work. <a href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=beofmoof09-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=as1&amp;asins=1606996002&amp;ref=qf_sp_asin_til&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;f=ifr" target="_blank"><i>Heroic Comics: The Bill Everett Archives v2</i></a> completes that material and then moves into some of his most stunning work. And it's been this pursuit - especially the 1950s canon - that has led to some fantastic surprises.<br /><br />The most recent is a story in <i>Crime and Punishment</i> for the company, Lev Gleason, (in)famous for its <i>Crime Does Not Pay</i> title and other books that brought the crime genre into comics. Collectors and historians have assumed that when Everett came back from WWII he jumped right into the Sub-Mariner books and then into the horror work. In fact, circa 1949-50, just after the Marvel heroes died off in 1949, and before the horror genre overtook that company, Everett did reach out to some other publishers to either fill a gap or load up on income, given that he would be bringing three children into the world around these years.<br /><br />Everett wrote the following in a 1961 letter to comic fan, Jerry Defuccio: "Things got rough about 1949, and I felt it advisable to pack up and move back to New York. I left my family (two kids by now) in Erie, Pa., with my sister and her family, and came to N.Y. by myself. I picked up comic accounts with Quality Comics, Eastern Color, and, of course, with Stan Lee. Things finally started to good in '50, and my family joined me (four of us lived and worked - in one tiny room in a mid-town hotel for six months!), and we eventually moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey, where I brought a small house."<br /><br />Everett reestablished his connection with Steve Douglas, editor at Eastern Color, and did a number of adventure and romance stories in books like <i>Heroic Comics</i> and <i>Personal Love</i>. But any 1950 Lev Gleason connection was unknown until I received an email from Mr. Monster creator, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_T._Gilbert" target="_blank">Michael T. Gilbert</a></span> who sent me scans of "The Button" from <i>Crime and Punishment</i> #31, cover-dated October 1950. (Click on the above image to see the signed splash panel.)<br /><br />Bill had done a couple of stories in 1942 for <i>Silver Streak Comics</i> published by Gleason, but that was while Everett was working in the Funnies Inc. studio, packaging stories for other companies. Still, in 1949/50, Everett must have reached out to Lev Gleason editor Charles Biro for some freelance work and was thrown this story. (Mr. Gilbert also sent me a text story from <i>Silver Streak Comics</i> #1, cover-dated Dec. 1939, that had an Everett illustration - another unknown Everett contribution!)<br /><br />So far, that's the only Everett crime story for Biro/Gleason we've uncovered. Everett's not in the issue on either side - you can check out full books of the rest of the title at <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://comicbookplus.com/">comicbookplus.com</a></span>. Why possibly only one? Perhaps the same as why Everett only did <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comics.org/issue/15438/" target="_blank">one story for DC Comics</a></span> in late 1959. Gleason editor Charles Biro and DC editor Robert Kanigher were reputed to have a "hands on" editorial style and Everett <i>loved</i> the freedom he had under Stan Lee. <br /><br />Regardless, here's hoping we continue to uncover more Bill Everett in our journey of bringing you unreprinted works from this comic-book legend.<br /><br /><i>We're still one story away - Target Comics #8 - from completing Everett's 1938-42 run in vol. 2. If you have this comic, please email me.</i>Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-5396393455276743022012-12-01T19:34:00.001-05:002012-12-01T19:35:21.243-05:00Bill Everett Archives v2 title, cover & help needed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s1600/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2409MknQsg/ULqh5gvo4-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/dtJpXSL9cmE/s200/EverettArchivesv2_cover.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>We're happy to share with you here for the first time the cover and title for the second Bill Everett Archives. Click on the image to your left to see a larger version of the cover to <i>Heroic Comics: The Bill Everett Archives vol.2</i>!<br /><br />The table of contents for this volume takes the quality of Everett's artwork to another level. We finish off the 1938-42 Golden Age non-Marvel work, but the rest of the volume is filled with <i>tons</i> of surprises that will <i>blow your mindhole</i>! You can't miss this one if you want to see the best of Everett's best.<br /><br />It's another 200+ pages of artwork, plus all the extras you enjoyed from volume one, such as a thorough introduction and detailed notes for each section that place the work in its historical context and talks about the how the industry worked in its naive heyday.<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But we need help! Get a free copy of the book!</b></span></span><br /><br />There's two short stories from the early 1940s that we can't locate. <b>If you have these books</b>, please email me at ditko37@rogers.com. We'll give you the specs for the high-rez scans and how to get them to us. Here are the two books:<br /><br /><b><span style="color: red;">Silver Streak Comics</span></b> #20 (Apr '42) - Rex Reed 8-page story<br /><b><span style="color: red;">Target Comics v1 #8</span></b> (Sep '40) - Chameleon 6-page story<br /><br />If you can help, we'll send you a free copy of the book and put your name in the Acknowledgements. Look for the volume to come out in April 2013.Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-65287831890039556072012-11-02T21:52:00.002-04:002012-11-02T21:53:25.974-04:00Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 4 title and Cover Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k1jTaCB_y5c/UJRyD1c0nKI/AAAAAAAAAi8/pwk2teoLh4E/s1600/DITKO4coverThumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k1jTaCB_y5c/UJRyD1c0nKI/AAAAAAAAAi8/pwk2teoLh4E/s320/DITKO4coverThumb.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>It's Mr. Steve Ditko's 85th birthday today! Amazing that the man continues to produce work (now approaching <a href="http://ditko.blogspot.ca/p/ditko-book-in-print.html" target="_blank">Issue #18</a> of his new series that's been coming out regularly since 2008). Yes, he's up to eighteen x 32 pages of story and art in the last four years. How many self-published/independent creators half Ditko's age have produced that much in the same time frame? Not many, I suspect.<br /><br />Tom Spurgeon's Comics Reporter blog has a "<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/five_for_friday_314_all_hail_steve_ditko/" target="_blank">Five for Friday</a></span>" featuring Ditko, where you submit your five favourite Ditko issues. Artist Michel Fiffe has a nice, long piece on his <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://michelfiffe.com/?p=3490" target="_blank">Ditko Connection</a></span>. And here's a whack of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=steve+ditko&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;aq=t&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;hl=en&amp;tbm=isch&amp;source=og&amp;sa=N&amp;tab=wi&amp;ei=IniUUL-wHqqGyQH4koCABQ&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=622&amp;sei=JHiUUIvQK6yayQH6pYDYBA" target="_blank">Steve Ditko images</a></span> to get you in the celebratory mood.<br /><br />'Round here, we're only up to 1958, compiling the first five years of his almost 60-year career in putting together comic books.<br /><br />And 1958 is where you'll find us in <i>Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 4</i>, coming out next May from Fantagraphics Books, Inc.<br /><br />I'm scanning like a Mad Man this weekend for the upcoming volume; a great way to spend Steve's birthday immersed in all this fabulous artwork from one of the definite peaks of his career. Here's the publisher's blurb for the volume:<br /><br />"Five years before Steve Ditko began work on his now legendary co-creations for Marvel Comics, the Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, he was producing some of his best work in near anonymity for Charlton Comics. Like its predecessors, <i>Impossible Tales: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 4</i> features over 200 meticulously restored full-color pages of Ditko in his early prime - stories that have never seen a proper reprinting until now, thrilling stories of suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims all delineated in Ditko’s wildly idiosyncratic, masterful style. This fourth volume ranks as the best in the Archives series to date thanks in large part to the inspiration Ditko took from comics derived from the classic host-narrated radio shows, which gave an extra oomph to his creepy yarns. Moreover, comics such as <i>This Magazine is Haunted</i> and <i>Tales of The Mysterious Traveler</i> bore witness to a veritable explosion in Ditko’s ingenuity in terms of manipulating the traditional comic-book page layout. This new level of excellence also manifested itself in his work on other books, such <i>Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds, Out of This World, Strange Suspense Stories, </i>and <i>Unusual Tales</i>, all of which are amply represented in this volume."Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-57697107808555635132012-10-20T12:38:00.001-04:002012-10-20T12:38:49.291-04:00More Secrets from the History of Marvel Comics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2SbYBX_wyQ/TrBcJgmlgKI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sJMfWhie50Y/s1600/SecretMarveltif11nov1jpgLG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2SbYBX_wyQ/TrBcJgmlgKI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sJMfWhie50Y/s200/SecretMarveltif11nov1jpgLG.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>We're rushing to the end of the production cycle of the <i>Secret History of Marvel Comics</i>, from myself and noted 1930s-50s historian Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, published by Fantagraphics Books, Inc.<br /><br />Today, I'm adding to the captions list because, even after we submitted the design mock-up for the book back in late August, we're <i>still</i> coming up with potential new additions to our 300-page tome.<br /><br />The book's all about the earliest days of Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman and the Golden Age Marvel artists like Jack Kirby et al. who crossed over to do work in Goodman's other businesses. Since we <i>thought</i> we had closed the book on the design, we've uncovered <i>two</i> new pictures of Martin Goodman from the 1950s that are buried in his magazine line, including a nifty one with Charlton Heston from 1953.<br /><br />This picture would have been taken just right after Heston's breakthrough role in <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Show_on_Earth" title="The Greatest Show on Earth">The Greatest Show on Earth</a></i> that won the Oscar for best picture of 1952. It was also three years before Heston played Moses in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ten_Commandments_%281956_film%29" target="_blank"><i>The Ten Commandments</i></a> and six before he played <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_%281959_film%29" target="_blank"><i>Ben-Hur</i></a> and won the Oscar for best actor. But, there he is, sitting with Goodman at Gogi La Rue's in New York City. The other picture has Goodman on a horse wearing a cowboy hat!<br /><br />Our book won't make the Christmas rush, but that's what you get when you expand the scope of a book from 168 pages to 300! And we're still getting more artwork and Goodman magazines in that we never knew existed. (Finally nailed a copy of that <i>Zippy</i> mag with the Joe Simon cover, plus an Elvis magazine cover from 1957!) Just how many titles <i>did</i> that man produce? And you thought he flooded the market with his comics?Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-86497289391559182832012-10-19T23:51:00.002-04:002012-10-19T23:51:37.809-04:00America's Gayest GagmenThe Devil made him do it.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B1ZqnXOGGTg/UIIehw9N7II/AAAAAAAAAig/HpZcH76hQWA/s1600/ZippyCov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B1ZqnXOGGTg/UIIehw9N7II/AAAAAAAAAig/HpZcH76hQWA/s1600/ZippyCov.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />#Joe Simon #MartinGoodman #ComingSoon<br />Blake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654726374561042800.post-76813131801283267282012-10-06T19:47:00.002-04:002012-10-06T19:48:15.849-04:00Sailor Jack KirbyFine tatooing. #Zippy #SecretHistoryOfMarvelComicsComingSoonBlake Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14257271643625561722noreply@blogger.com0